Sergio Monsalve

Sergio Monsalve is a highly experienced venture capital investor with a career spanning over two decades, transitioning from operational and leadership roles at tech giants like eBay and Photobucket to becoming a successful venture partner at Norwest Venture Partners, and eventually founding his own firm, Roble Ventures. His investment focus is on "human enablement technologies," including Future of Work, EdTech, and job-creating marketplaces. He is noted for his high-conviction investment strategy, often investing a significant portion of his fund into a fewer, carefully selected companies, rather than a broad 'spray-and-pray' approach. stanford+3

He has a proven track record of identifying and investing in successful technology companies, including early investments in unicorn companies like Udemy and Kahoot!. He actively served on the boards of these companies, guiding them to significant milestones, such as Udemy's IPO at a $3 billion valuation and Kahoot!'s public offering with a $2-3 billion valuation. stanford+2

Beyond his investment career, Monsalve is deeply involved in education and entrepreneurship. He co-founded the Entrepreneur-In-Residence Program at Stanford University's Graduate School of Education and teaches a popular course, "EDUC 295: Entrepreneurship & Innovation in Education Technology." He advocates for continuous learning and believes in technology's role in personalizing education and making learning a lifelong, individualized experience. stanford+3

Monsalve is committed to fostering innovation and supporting founders, emphasizing the importance of traits like persistence, intellectual curiosity, and mental honesty in entrepreneurs. He also believes in purpose-driven leadership that draws followers. He is critical of stanford+2